IndianaBeer: Years Back

We covered Bamberg back in January (Link).

Here's some more in mid-central Germany

Outside of Bamberg

Rodental - Brauerei Grosch. That's Grosch, not Grolsch.
This site was a hotel in 1425 that was licensed to brew in 1492 as long as they promised to provide beer for the Duke's court. The Duchy took it over in 1597 but gave it to the Bauersach family in 1736 in exchange for an 8 franc per vat tax. It passed to Henrich Grosch in 1852 and is now owned by the 6th generation of that family.
The busy hotel and restaurant are visited by tour busses regularly and we couldn't, at first, get a seat anywhere but the courtyard which experienced a heavy shower, dampening the spirits of the waiter but not our mood. The small courtyard was interesting - ringed by the hotel, kitchen, and the keg filling plant.

Zwicklbeer - Light body served in a clay pot. A very bitter helles lager.
Fuhrmannstrunk - Dark brown. Earth, strong taste. Late developing coffee bitterness with a touch of chocolate and roast.
Erntebier - "das sommer frische" Medium gold 3.0% schankbier served in a swing-top bottle. Deep yellow. Light and mellow lager.
Also a pilsner, malztrunk, and a bock in season.

Reichelshofen bei Rothenburg on de Tauber - Landwehrbrau. They can't fit the city name on the sign. They'd use the back side of the sign but it say's Aufweidersein. That's the joke anyway.
The Landwehrbrau Privatbrauerei is actually about half of the town. It has been owned since 1755 by the Worner family so they probably are officers in the local chamber of commerce - heck, there isn't any other business in the town. It's a hotel, a restaurant, a brau stuble, and a large brewery complex out back.
Landwehrbrau is distributed in only a 20 mile area plus one outlet in Nuremberg.

Toppler Pils - Bright gold with a creamy white head. Non-biting earthy floral hops. Pale dry finish. A delicious beer that can only come from years of experience.
Dunkles Landbier - Deep amber. A moderate stale malt aroma. Very creamy texture. Goes down smooth but is a very plain beer.
Also available in bottle - Export Edelhell and Pils.

Altdrossenfeld - Brauerei Schnupp. The brewery is out back of a modern restaurant and hotel.
Lunch ends here at 2pm but they serve brats and cold cuts in the afternoon which suited us fine. Good beers served with little carbonation. Recommended.

Alte Frankisches Dunkel - Light amber. Little aroma but a big malty caramel taste that dries quickly.
Voll - Golden. Nice, clean, pale taste with a richer finish that lingers.
Also an Edelpilsner on tap and bottled marzen and storchen leichte. They made a doppelbock but are completely out.

Kulmbach - Kulmbacher Brauerei is big. It's taken over many of the other local breweries and now makes Kulmbacher, EKU, Kapuziner, and Monchshof. They are the biggest employer in Kulmbach and have made their town into a showplace for their beer. Flags of the various brands are everywhere on the downtown streets and a block from the main square holds a semi-permanent pavilion which hosts a festival every 3 or 4 weeks in the summer. We saw at least 3 separate brewery Kulmbacher complexes in town. There's also a museum attached to the Monchshof brewery but it was closed when we stopped in.

Kulmbach - Kommunbrau. Down a 1-lane cobbled street on the northwest edge of a town dominated by a giant. Location, location, location. You have to look hard to find this place, even with a map. Have only 2 beers which are the normal style for the area. It doesn't seem to be a formula for success but Kommunbrau has held on as the last independent in town.
It's a newly built multi-room pub in an old building. It's supposed to look old, with 2-wire electricity, cast iron supporting posts, etc. but it only takes a second glance to see it's new.
On a slow Monday afternoon when the kitchen is closed some regulars were sitting in small groups reading the newspaper or whispering conversation while a few others returned the 1-liter swing-top bottles for deposit refund. The regulars' mugs are kept in a locked compartment - odd.

Helles - Bright yellow, low carbonation. Good, to style, but not distinctive.
Dunkel - Dark amber lager. Aroma is faintly of tea and fruity hops. First taste has sweet candied fruit (orange?) but that changes to darker hoppier notes quickly.